• Your personal values are the combination of your beliefs and convictions. They belong to you and who you are as a person.• They are often based on experiences you’ve had and the values held by those close to you.• They change and evolve throughout your life.• They strongly influence your perception and understanding of the world around you and of your relationships with others. They have a direct impact on your mental health.• For example, if respect is an important value to you, you’ll have trouble hanging out with a group that bullies other young people.

How to assert your values

1. Identify your personal values. The dreams you have, your deepest desires and your opinions on current events often reveal your values.2. Observe your behaviour. Is it consistent with your values? For example, if you’re against violence and you insult people around you, isn’t that a contradiction between your values and your behaviour?3. Know yourself. With time, you’ll get to know the situations you’re comfortable in and the ones you’re better off avoiding because they’re not consistent with your values.For example, if one of your values is to not use drugs, you can choose to avoid parties where you think you’ll be offered them. 4. Respect yourself by respecting your values. It’s not always easy to act in accordance with your values! People around you may try to get you to behave in a way that contradicts them. Remember that your values help you feel comfortable with your decisions and resist pressure from others.One way to maintain self-respect is to behave in a way that’s true to your values.